Bowling pin handling machine



Feb. 9, 1954 F. w. ANDERSON 2,668,713

BOWLING PIN HANDLING MACHINE Filed Dec. 16, 1949 8 Sheets-Sheet l 12200229202 Fwazzii lie/12211423 3032,

7. by M 1954 F, w. ANDERSON 68,713

BOWLING PIN HANDLING MACHINE Filed Dec. 16, 1949 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Invenioa Fflaaai wy azdeflson, by a /M Mk7 fliijys Feb, 9, 1954 w. ANDERSON ,7

BOWLING PIN HANDLING MACHJFNE I Filed Dec. 16, 1949 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb. 9, 1954 F. w. ANDERSON 2,668,713

BOWLING PIN HANDLING MACHINE Filed Dec. 16, 1949 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 ////////////////////))/////;Y////) /i////////////A N F N '0,

Feb. 9 1954 F. w. ANDERSON 2,668,713

BOWLING PIN HANDLING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Dec. 16, 1949 Feb. 9, 1954 w. ANDEQRSON 2,668,713

BOWLING PIN HANDLING MACHINE Filed Dec. 16, 1949 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 J li -5L 4 3 0s \0 E L/ -m|m 5 f5 Y M 9M flit/gs Patented Feb. 9, 1954 BOWLING PIN HANDLING MACHINE 'Frank W. Anderson, North Weymouth, Mass., assignor to Murphy Automatic Pinsetter Company, Inc.., Somerville, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Appfication December 16, 1949, SerialNo. 133,385

13 Claims.

This invention relates to a pin handling ma- Chine for bowling alleys and the present application is more particularly concerned with those mechanisms which take pins as received in miscellaneous arrangement in the pit at the rear of the alley and deliver them to a setter proper in which they are received in proper triangular array, and which deposits them on the alley surface to be bowled at. In practice these would form part of an organized machine including such a setter, and suitable alley clearing means. Certain parts of such latter mechanisms are disclosed in the drawings, but they Will herein be referred to only in a very general way. I refer to my copending application, Serial No. 133,386, filed December 16, 1949, for a fuller disclosure of the mechanisms so shown, the mechanisms of the two applications when combined in a coordinated machine being a preferred construction.

The object of the invention is to provide a compact combination of parts which will function rapidly, smoothly and accurately.

My invention will be well understood with reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. '1 is a simplified side elevation of a pin handling machine;

Fig, 2 is a horizontal section showing in plan the rear end of the alley and the pit;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Figs. 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d show details of Fig. 3, Fig. 30 being a section on line lie-3c of Fig. 3b, and Fig, 3d a section on line 3d3d of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the machine;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of 4;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 6a is a section on the line ta-6a of Fig. 6;

Fig. '7 is the front elevation of the assembly rack and coordinated mechanism showing a part of the elevator in section at the right;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 85 of Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is a figure corresponding to a portion of 7, showing the parts in another position;

Fig. 10 is a diagram; and

Fig. 11 is a wiring diagram.

In describing the construction, particularly to permit the ini'ial orienting description which will f l w, I a e designa ed y apital r e ence letters, intended to correspond to the initials of descriptive words certain portions of the mecha nism, the division being somewhat arbitrary. Electric switches have been designated by the letter S and discriminated one from another by a numeral following that letter, 'Ihclet-ter M designates a motor and the letters SM a solenoid motor, again with a discriminating numeral following. The letter 10 with a following numeral is an electric wire. Numerals l-IO indicate the respective pins so-called, that is the No. *1 pin is the one at the apex of the triangular array as we look at it from the bowlers position, and the No. '7 pin, the pin at the left-hand extremity of the base. I designate by such a'numeral as an affix to a reference letter or numeral a part which receives a pin which will occupy the position so identified when it is transferred to the alley. No reference numeral has been used on the balls or pins as such, as they will be readily recognized. In the detailed description I have utilized even numerals beginning with 20 to apply to those mechanisms more particularly the subject matter of the present application. In my companion application I have utilized for the parts there more particularly described, and shown only in a general way here, odd numbers beginning with 15. The major reference letters applying to groups of parts are the same in the two cases.

An automatic machine for handling bowling pins and balls suitable for use with candle pins may include, as the one herein disclosed, thefollowing parts:

Lil leans for clearing the alley of standing pins and deadwood at the end of the frame, delivering them into the pit;

2. Mechanism in the pit for transferring the balls and pins in succession, one by one, to

3.A suitable elevating conveyor or hoist from which the balls are discharged for return to the head of the alley and which delivers the pins to 4.1m assembly rack on which ten pins may be assembled in a row and which herein cooperates with 5. A rack feeder which positions the pins onthe rack;

6. Means for discharging the set of ten pins from the rack at the proper time;

'7.Transfer chutes, desirably fixed in position,

the construction subserving the function of clearing the balls from the alley pit (item 2 above) appear in my divisional application, Serial No. 323,110, filed November 28,1952.

Referring now more particularly'to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a machine such as has just been referred to is therein shown, and I will first describe it in a general way. In these figures we see the rear of the alley A and the pit P at the rear thereof into which pins and balls may be driven in the course of the game. Belts B in the gutters also deliver to the pit p ns and balls which are driven off the alley surface at the sides. An elevator E at the rear of the pit has suitable flights for carrying pins and balls. At an intermediate portion of its height (see Fig. 3) a fixed member 26, past which a p n on one of the flights will pass, will engage a ball as shown in the upper portion of the figure and nudge it off on to the rails 22 along which it returns by gravity to the head of the alley. The pins are carried past this member and delivered to the assembly rack R, seen at the upper left-hand portion of Fig. 1. After ten pins have been assembled in side by side relation on this rack, a transfer mechanism T pushes them off the rack into a set of fixed chutes C, through which they descend to a vertically reciprocating setter frame F, to which they are transferred when this frame moves downwardly toward the alley. The frame carries the pins down to the alley and releases them when it reaches its lowermost position, to set up the pins thereon in the manner shown in Fig. 1.

I will first describe the mechanism associated with the pit for handling the balls and pins as they are received in m scellaneous arrangement. The pit area may be divided horizontally by the flexible weighted curtain 24, so that the balls or pins which are forcibly projected from the end of the alley strike the same and fall into-the forward portion of the pit. The alley clearing mechanism delivers the pins which remain on the alley at the end of the frame over its rear edge into the forward portion of the pit. The bottom .of the pit comprises a rotary disc 25, rotating counter-clockwise, as seen in Fig. 2, within an upstanding guard 28 which is provided, herein substantially at the 11 o'clock position viewing Fig. 2, with aga n of substantially the length of the pin through which balls and pins move from the top of the disc to the elevator E. The disc is rotated on a central shaft 30 (see Figs. 3 and 3a) and its margin may be supported by rollers 32 on spring-supported plungers 34 arranged around its periphery. The purpose of these is primarily to prevent distortion of'the disc if it should be stepped upon.

The disc is somewhat conical so that the balls and pins tend to roll down toward its periphery and the guard 28. Herein also the shaft 38 is inclined laterally and rearwardly so that the surface. of the disc at the right of Fig. 3 along the lower radial portion of the section line 33 of Fig. 2 is horizontal. The highest portion of this disc is thus in front of the curtain 24 which extends substantially diametrically of the disc, but well over toward the left-hand side of the latter,

the lower side viewing Fig. 2, and the gap in the guard 28 above referred to may be at the lowest point of the disc diametrically opposite. Thus as pins fall on the front of the disc they tend to roll downhill, not only toward the periphery of the disc but in the direction which is upward viewing Fig. 2. They arrange themselves against the guard 28 in positions perpendicular to the radii of the disc, and as they pass the gap in the guard 28 roll off, to be picked up by the conveyor in the manner presently to be described. There may be a pin resting against one or more others which themselves bear on the guard 28, and if so it will simply be carried around the disc a second time and will move outwardly against the guard when an opportunity arises. The arrangement of the high portion of the disc somewhat in front of the center line of the disc, and consequently of its lowermost portion at the rear of the center line, has the advantage which will be appreciated, that it places the elevator behind the curtain 24 out of the Way of flying pins and balls. The central plane of the elevator is parallel to the tangent to the disc at its lowest point. This arrangement of the elevator and of the mechanisms with which it cooperates at a higher elevation, as will hereinafter be described, is important for other reasons which will appear as the description proceeds. The disc 26 may be driven (see Fig. 2) by a quarter turn belt 36, which takes motion from shaft 38 driven by bevel gearing from the bottom shaft 40 of the elevator E. The gutter belts B may also be driven from this shaft 38 (see Fig. 1).

The elevator E is of ordinary type comprising two parallel chains 42 supported by sprockets on the shaft 43 and other sprockets on the upper driven shaft 44 and connected by flights 46 in the form of shallow trays adapted to carry pins or balls, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. Referring now to Fig. 3, a pin or ball which rests against the guard 28 and is moving with the disc toward the lowest point of the latter, when it arrives at the gap in the guard 28 will roll ofi the same onto a supporting plate 48 coming to rest against the shaft 4!) which is so near the edge of this plate that the pin or ball cannot fall down further. Then when one of the-flights approaches from below it, as seen in Fig. 3, it will underride the middle of the pin and lift the pin up in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3. Referring now to Fig. 7 at the right thereof, when a pin arrives at the upper end of the elevator E it is pushed off from the flight by a rotary arm 50 mounted on the upper shaft 44 of the elevator and is thus moved onto the intake end of the assembly rack which will next be described.

The assembly rack proper comprises a horizontally disposed plate 52 of a width less than the length of a pin which is corrugated or scalloped to provide a closely arranged series of upwardly concaved open-topped pockets in each of which a pin may be cradled in the manner best illustrated in Fig. 4. There are eleven of these pockets, a receiving pocket, seen at the right of Fig. 7, into which pins are delivered from the elevator, and ten other pockets which receive a complete set of pins for transfer to the setter frame. The last ten pockets of the series are numbered in Fig. 7 with the numbers of the pins which occupy the samewhen the rack is filled. The pins rest in the pockets tangent to the lowest point of the concave curve of the latter and the pins therein are thus accurately spaced one from another. The ends of spasms the pins will project past the edges of the plate I 52 (see Fig. 1). As seen in Fig. 4 the center line of the rack 52 extends perpendicularly to the central plane of the elevator and is thus inclined to the center line of the alley, projecting forwardly along the alley from its receiving end. This not only adapts it to the position of the parts adjacent the pit, but has an important function which will hereinafter appear.

Referring now to Fig. 7, when a pin is delivered to the receiving pocket at the right, it sets into motion certain mechanisms by which it and any other pins already in the pockets are transferred each to the next succeeding pocket along the line until ten pins having arrived at the rack and having been advanced in this manner fill the numbered set of pockets. The leading pin then arrives at the No. 7 pocket at the left in the figure, at which time the supply of pins is interrupted and this forwarding motion likewise ceases. The preferred forwarding or feeding mechanism herein shown comprises (see Figs. 9 and 8) two vertical plates 55 arranged just outwardly of the rack plate 52, the upper edges of which are likewise scalloped to correspond to the scallops of the rack. These plates 56 are carried at their ends on the crank pins 58 of two double cranks to which are revolved in unison through cycles of a single revolution, as will be more fully hereinafter described. In the lowest position of the parts, illustrated in Fig. 7, the concavities or scallops of the feeder plates 58 rest below and between two overlying pockets of the rack. Their motion is in a circular orbit, counterclockwise viewing Fig. 7. Thus if the pin shown at the right in Fig. 7 descends into the receiving pocket and the transfer mecha nism starts in motion, the plates 56 will move to the right and upwardly and the three scallops at the right will underride this pin and the pins in the No. 10 pocket and the No. 6 pocket, lift them up above the divisions between the pockets as seen in Fig. 9, then come downwardly between the sides of the No. 10, No. 6 and No. 9 pockets and leave the three pins therein with the receiving pocket empty to receive the next pin. This transfer mechanism may be operated as follows.

The upper shaft M of the elevator carries a gear 52 (Fig. 6) which drives a'pinion 6A loose on jack-shaft 65, which carries at its end a sprocket 68' driving by means of the chain it (see Fig. '7) one of the double cranks til which is connected by crank arms '12 and connecting rod 14 to the shaft of the other double crank 59 (Fig. 9). The pinion 54 is clutched to the sprocket shaft 66 by a one-revolution clutch device comprising a pin 16, carried by an arm 18 pinned to pinion shaft 66 normally tending to move to the left viewing Fig. 6a under the force of a spring 8!), to be projected into one of a number of holes 82 in the pinion 6 to drive the .latter. This pin is normally held out against its spring by pivoted detent 84 as seen in Fig. 5.

When a pin is delivered from the elevator to the right-hand receiving pocket of the rack, as seen in Fig. '7, it may depress the plunger 86 of a switch S9 (see the wiring diagram) closing the switch and energizing solenoid motor SM5. The movement of the core of the latter swings up the pivoted detent etirom the position shown in Fig. 5 and permits the spring 88 to advance the clutch pin 16 to enter one of the holes 82 in the pinion E4, clutching the pinion to shaft 66. ,As the sprocket completes a revolution the 6 head on the right-hand on the circumferentially extending cam-like tail 88 of the detent and the pin will, by the longitudinal force applied thereto as the head moves along the cam surface, be withdrawn from the hole in the sprocket at the completion of the revolution, the detent then moving to the position of Fig. 5.

The forwarding motion of the mechanism just described occurs in the interval between the arrival of two flights of the conveyor at the intake-end of the rack. When ten pins have been received from the elevator, the first one will be forwarded to the No. 7 pocket at the left of Fig. 7 and it will make contact with the plunger of a twoway switch S5 and break the circuit of the motor M4 driving the elevator, so that no more pins will be delivered from the same. At the same time the motion of the forwarding mechanism, which is driven from the shaft 44 of the elevator, ceases. Whatever the stage of the game arrived at we will then have ten pins in the rack in accurately spaced side by side relation, and no more pins will be delivered thereto until these have been taken away.

Referring to Fig. 9 it will be noted that the left-hand endof each plate 56 is formed with a half scallop which moves upwardly between the sides of scallop No. 7 at the left of rack 52 and then to he left. Thus if the switch plunger 9!] should stick, or if by some other mischance the circuit which is opened by its downward movement should remain closed and an eleventh pin be delivered to the rack, the one in pocket No. 7 will be discharged from the left-hand end of the rack and fall to the pit preventing any breakage. While the circuit referred to continues closed the functions of the machine which normally follow its opening will not occur as will be apparent from the description given hereinafter in connection with the Wiring diagram. In the event of the mishaps referred to the rack will fill with pins and the elevator will bring pins from the pit so long as any are available and deliver each to the right-hand end of the rack with resultant forwarding action of the plates 5'3 with simultaneous ejection of the surplus pin at the left-hand end.

The ends of the pockets in the rack are opposite the intake ends of fixed chutes C which extend downwardly and the lower ends of which are in triangular array so that when the ten pins are moved off the rack into these chutes theyare brought into cooperating relation with the setter frame F as indicated by the diagram Fig. 10.

When the rack R has received a complete set of ten pins they are at a suitable time discharged from the rack to the chutes C for transfer to the setter frame F. The mechanism for doing this will be next described, referring more particularly-to Figs.-4, 5 and 7. The mechanism which has been designated as a whole by the reference letter T comprises a slide 92 running on trucks on guideways 94 extending fore and aft and reciprocated by connecting rod Q5 and crank so from the motor M3 which makes a single revolution on each operation of the mechanism. In Fig. 1 the device T is shown in its rearward or normal position, and in. Fig. 5 in its forward position, where it has just moved the pins from the rack-plate '52 to the chutes C. For this purpose a forward vertical plate H39 and a rear vertical plate-I02 depend from the slide. These are of a length equal to thelength of the row of the last endlof the pin will .ride.

ten pockets of the rack, they are spaced apart slightly more than the length of a pin and proiect down past the ends of the pins in such pockets, the rear plate terminating above the top line of the pockets. In the position of Fig. l the forward plate prevents casual displacement of any pins forwardly from the rack and the rearward plate similarly prevents such displacement rearwardly. When it is time to transfer the pins the device moves to the position of Fig. and the rearward plate engages the rear ends of the pins and pushes them out of the pockets of the rack into the chutes which lie opposite the pockets. Thus in Fig. 5 a pin is shown just entering the chute C.

I have referred to the fact that the center line of the rack R is at an oblique angle to the longitudinal line of the alley and at right angles to the central plane of the elevator E. This not only permits positioning of the high point of the pit disc 26 as already described and the elevator at the lowest point of the disc at an advantageous point thereof in the third quadrant viewing Fig. 2, but is important even if those advantages were not obtained.

Referring to Fig. it is apparent that the pins arranged on the rack R in a longitudinal row are delivered to the setter in triangular array. It is also clear that with any simple means for arranging them they would be equally spaced in this longitudinal row. Now No. 5 pin in its position on the alley and its corresponding position in the setter frame, is directly behind the No. 1 pin and the No.9 and No. 8 pins are directly behind No. 3 and No. 2. If the center line of the rack were at right angles to the alley it would be difiicult to deliver No. 1 and No. 5 because the chutes would interfere with each other, and in previous machines with which I am familiar this has necessitated either carrying the pins to the intake ends of chutes at a considerable distance away from the rear of the alley or at a very high position. In the present construction the assembly rack may be directly over the rear of the pit and at a moderate elevation only.

Referring to Fig. 10 it will be seen that by placing the center line of the rack at an angle of about 7 to the longitudinal and starting from the equally spaced pockets therealong, the chutes may be extended in approximate parallelism, with the chute for the No. 6 pin extending between those for the Nos. 9 and 10, No. 3 between 9 and 5, and No. 1 between 5 and 8. It might be thought that it would be desirable to choose a larger angle so that we could draw parallel lines from the positions of the pins to equally spaced points along the center line of the rack, thus to provide equal spacing of the pockets of the rack with the chutes completely parallel. However, in this case the longer chutes are not so easily accommodated in the space between the other chutes and the approximate parallelism described, with even spacing of the intake ends of the chutes and little interference in effective placing of the several chutes, is satisfactory.

In the operation of the parts just described we might consider that the pit disc and the elevator E are in continuous operation as the game proceeds. As fast as pins are delivered to the intake end of the rack R they and all pins preceding them are forwarded along the rack until ten pins are in the ten pockets of the rack opposite the chutes C. The disc 26 and elevator E then normally stop.. Then, or thereafter when other parts of the machine are in setter frame F is empty and in an elevated position opposite the exit ends of the chutes, the

' transfer mechanism T is operated to deliver ten pins into the chutes through which they travel to the lower ends of the chutes in position to be removed therefrom by the setter frame when it goes down toward the alley. When the transfer mechanism T moves back to the position of Fig. 1 the pit disc and the elevator will start in operation again to replenish the assembly rack.

The coordinated action of the mechanism with its elements functioning in properly timed relation will be clear from the description of the electrical system involved which will now be described in connection with the diagram, Fig. 11.

Since, as already explained, the structure more particularly described in this case forms a part of a coordinated machine involving other parts having the functions of those disclosed in my companion case already referred to, the constructions more particularly described in my companion case are shown diagrammatically in the wiring diagram and will be referred to in describing the electric system. A fuller description of these parts and the particular method of operation will be found in the companion case.

Let us assume that we are working with a set of twenty-five pins. In point of time let us assume that a frame has been completed, that five pins are left on the alley, that ten are in chutes C ready to move into the setter frame 5.

when it descends to place them on the alley in order to permit a new frame to be bowled, and that ten pins are in the assembly rack R. This implies that the operating plunger of twoway switch S5 has been depressed and engages the lower contact as shown at the left of the diagram. The player will now depress pushbutton switch SI at the head of the alley. The momentary depression of this switch now effects the clearance of the alley through the following circuits.

Circuit No. 1, alley cZearance.From the positive side of the line through closed push-button switch SI, wire wl to solenoid motor SM 1, which is energized, wires m2 and w3, through switch S2 which has been shifted to the position shown by the No. 1 pin, wire w t, through two-way switch S3 in the position illustrated to which it has been raised by the retreat of the setter frame F to raised position, wire w5 and to the negative line. The energization of the solenoid motor SMI causes the movable section [5 0f the alley floor to tilt upwardly and discharge any standing pins or deadwood to the pit P. The interlocking feature involved in this circuit is as follows. Assuming that it had been operated to work the alley clearing mechanism described, permitting the setter frame F to start in operation aswill be explained, someone might idly work the push: button SI again, but the solenoid motor SMI would not be energized because its circuit would be open at the switch S3 if the frame F had moved from up position, or at the switch S2 if the frame had returned to up position but the chutes C had not yet been replenished with pins. When this No. 1 circuit is closed at S2 and S3 but open at push-button S! the signal lamp L bridged around the push-button is lighted and indicates that the push-button may be operated. The resistance of the lamp is such that not enough current passes to operate the solea noid motor! SMI. The lighting of the. lamp shows that switch S2 is closed and pins are in the chutes readyto enter the setter frame 151 and that switch S3 is closed and the setter frame is in up position.

Cons'equent on the initiation ofthe movement of the alley clearin mechanism that is, in the example shown, on the tilting of the rear section of the alley, the switch S4 closes and in the present example as soon as this happens the setter frame F may start its cycle of motion, this being controlled by the following circuit.

Circuit No. 2, setter frame opcraiion.-From the positive line through wires we and ml to the motor M2, wire 108, switch S4 now closed, through switch S2 in the chute 1C for the No. 1 pin which switch is in the position shown because engaged by a pin in the chute, through switch S3 in the raised position shown and wire 1125 .to'the negative side of the line. When the motor M2 starts into operation and the setter frame begins to descend, this circuit is broken at switch S3, but its movement to the lower contact illustrated provides a circuit direct from the motor through wire 1.05 to the negative line, short-circuiting those parts of the circuit above traced out, between the motor and the switch S3. When the setter frame F returns to its upper position this circuit is opened at switch S3. Circuit No. 2 above traced out was opened at switch S4 by 30 the return of the alley floor section 15 tdhorizontal position incidental to the setting operation. As described in my copending application above referred to the setter frame .in' descending pushes the alley floor section I Edow'n. Motor M2 stops with the frame F in its up position.

The interlocking features of circuit No. 2 are as follows. The motor cannot start until the alley has been cleared and switch Sit closed. It cannot start unless pins in the chutes ready to becarried by :the setter frame F to ithe'alley, because switch S2 in "thechute iGior No. ll'in wmustibe moved by .the pin to the down "position :shownitocompleteithe circuit. This'is theiloneest and least steep vof the chutes. :Tenlpinsare delivered to the chutes at once .and if No. 11 .pin reaches the .end .of its chute it is safe .tdconclu'de that all .arc-inplace.

When thesetter frame F-has esccndec tothe v .alley floor to transfer its load thereto .andreturned to elevated position, moving .the switch S3 to the position illustratedin the diagram, .the -motor M3 is actuated to operate .the transfer mechanism T andmove frcin the assemhlyrack .Rthe ten pins which are thereon and cause --them to move through their respective .chutes' C to the setter. 'This' motor M3 iscontrolled by the following circuit.

Circuit No. 3, transfer operatiOn-Fromthe :positiveline through-wirewii to the switch 85' at the endof the assemblyrack Since-wehave assumed that this rackwas fullthe plunger 38 A of two-way switch S5 has moved its iarm .to the lower contact shown and the circuit continues :through wire wil throughswitchSi at the lower A end of Now? chute,--whichhasi'movedto-v thepositionishcwn in thedraWi-ng becauselthre is .no pin in the chute-thepinhavingmoved intothe setter frame --when. it began. to descend, through wirewtt tothe motor M3, throughswire wl lite switch-S2 at the .end of the chute lciforithe N0. :1 pin, which isclosedon the upper contact eshown' :-because there :is J pin :in -the Lchute,

th h iewin the c aete l from "the pug" Phased his? Bi atiP e h mo e.u h d lian iiie which i he. u er PP Q bec us the se r has. re urned n raised 29. 112.5. o the n ative. li e- Ms. A h moto driven then iitv ewne his: eet-it h prei mental arm We carried by the c fk therewith to provide for clos'ing bf switch ST, connecting wires and tutti and short cilc 'iiting switches S5 and Switch isopenedfor a pu pose wh h wi l pear he mo e mak s on revolutid and s e i m anisrn '1 to pull thepins out ofthe assmblyracl; B into their respective'hute's C'throu'gh' which the descend e from which t ey win be trans ferred tothe setter frame when the latter cornmecd s i i. fi "W the mr Joly rack is n 'thisrhanner switch Sire;- m to e u os'itioifnot 'illustratedin" the drawings, hreakin'g cirou'itNo. 3 and the switch S1 is opene" the ar l' t ionthereturn ofth'e crane to: in tialposition' sothat' the motor is igiz 'eid after one feiiolution. The arm also SW f S The nterlocking features of circuit No. 3 are as follows. The motofcanhot' be energized until tenpins ramme-as my rack and switch S5 has closed this cir The chutes must he verripty switch n'up position and switch S6 closed. Switch ,SB'isih theTchute-TC for the No. 7 Thisis the shortest and steepest chute and the Switch th el iii is su're to" be 'dpendfif ediisw he a sembly f switch S5 moves to its upper contact." when motor M3 returns its .driven'partsfto their initial hiss w tor M3 of theldiscliarg'ingele ent'oftra sfer mechanism Ttdits' rarwardposition (toward hrew; e to ythe .m tor Wit and through wire w i to the negative e i il h he i t W l e .at ion' at oneand begins carry .pl s ,iipwar'dly the motor will cohtihueIto', run .iiily but as .iast

as any pins are ihto' the pit .the yiwilli lie n in the rack winfbe e aeed .fio th i il .Je thereof ti ,ten are assembled and the first to he saw ed cthe a emes-mete started; I rivesat .theilof p sitiona th fu h thwar -and pen thi ci cu t -i11 smiths?- The SWitCh.,S.9 i closed. o j h d liver o .apin

. from. the, elevator to the. adiac ntendp th atsembly .rack to enereizesoiler ifi M t enga theonwevolution clutchm ovin th pin; 0. 7- warding plates t throu n c c a alread described.

.I am .aware that the invention. may .he .ernbodied. in .other; specific .iQrmshrithopt dep rtin from the spirit or essential attributes thereofiand lltherefore. desireithepresentembodim nt t be thrcugh-wire-wt to switch S3 --above thelsetter, .2 5 1 considered in..all respectslasillustrative andhot I lrestrictive, as is in fact clear in several matters from the description itself. Reference is to be had to the appended claims to indicate those principles of the invention exemplified by the particular embodiment described and which I desire to secure by Letters Patent.

I claim: 1. In a pinhand1ing machine a rotary disc in the pit having a coned surface with its axis inclined laterally and rearwardly to present that portion of its surface which is immediately in back of the alley in a radially and downwardly sloping position, an elevating conveyor having an upwardly moving run substantially tangent to the disc at the lowest point of its periphery and having flights for there receiving successive pins horizontally, a guard encircling the disc to retain the pins on the disc but having a gap apposing the conveyor for the passage of pins from the surface of the disc to the conveyor, and an assembling rack, to which the conveyor discharges, for receiving a set of pins in spaced side by side relation, the center line of the rack, corresponding to a line through the centers of the row of pins thereon, being substantially perpendicular to said tangent and at an oblique angle to the longitudinal line of the alley, and chutes extending substantially in parallel relation and perpendicularly to the said center line to positions above the setting up spots on the alley.

2. In a pin-handling machine the mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein the rack comprises a series of stationary compartments for the single pins and means are provided for transferring pins from one to the next until all the compartments are full.

3. In a pin-handling machine an assembly rack comprising a series of compartments adapted to receive a set of pins in spaced side by side relationship, the rack being positioned so that the center line of the row of pins extends at an oblique angle to the length of the alley, chutes extending from said compartments in nearly parallel relationship with their other ends in the triangular array of set-up pins and means for discharging a set of pins from the compartments to the chutes.

4. In a pin-handling machine the mechanism as defined in claim 3 wherein the compartments are stationary and means are provided for transferring pins from one to the next until all the compartments are full.

5. In a pin-handling machine in combination with a conveyor having flights for forwarding successive pins from the pit, a stationary pin assembling rack having a series of eleven upwardly open pockets for receiving pins in spaced parallel relation, the conveyor dropping pins into the first pocket of the series, a feeding device having pin carrying parts each of which has a path of movement upwardly in a pocket, forwardly, downwardly at the location of the succeeding pocket and back below the first mentioned, means for actuating said feeding device through a single cycle, means in the first pocket of the series for actuation by a pin delivered thereto to effect operation of said actuating means and means for actuation by a pin delivered to the eleventh pocket of the series to preclude further operation of the feeding device and conveyor while the eleventh pocket is cocupied.

6. In a pin-handling machine in combination with a conveyor having flights for forwarding successive 'pins'from the pit, a stationary pin assembling rack having a series of eleven upwardly open pockets for receiving pins in spaced parallel relation, the conveyor dropping pins into the first pocket of the series, a feeding device having pin carrying parts each of which has a path of movement upwardly in a pocket, forwardly, downwardly at the location of the succeeding pocket and back below the first mentioned, means for actuating said feeding device through a single cycle, means in the first pocket of the series for actuation by a pin delivered thereto to efi'ect operation of said actuating means and means in the eleventh pocket of the series for actuation by a pin delivered thereto to preclude further operation of the feeding device and conveyor while the eleventh pocket is occupied, a pusher arranged to move across the last ten pockets to discharge the pins therefrom, means for operating the pusher a control element located in the eleventh pocket normally positioned to render such operating means ineffectual and movable from such position by a pin delivered to said pocket.

'7. In a pin-handling machine the mechanism as defined in claim 5 wherein the pockets are formed by concavely curved, upwardly opening scallops in which the pins rest tangent to the lowest point of the curve to center them in regularly spaced relation.

8. In a pin-handling machine in combination with a conveyor having flights for conveying pins from the pit in horizontal position, an assembly rack extending therefrom on one end of which the flight conveyor drops the pins, means actuated by the delivery of a pin to that end for causing a step feed of the pins on the rack away from the conveyor and means actuated by the arrival of the first pin of the series at the further end of the rack for intermitting the operation of the flight conveyor.

9. In a pin-handling machine in combination with a conveyor having flights for conveying pins from the pit in horizontal position, an assembly rack extending therefrom having eleven stations for pins at the first of which the flight conveyor drops the pins, means actuated by the delivery of a pin to that station for causing a step feed of the pins on the rack from station to station away from the conveyor, a pusher operable to discharge from the rack the pins at the last ten stations, means for operating the same and a control element located at the eleventh station having a first and normal position wherein it renders such operating means ineffectual and a second position wherein it causes intermission of the movement of the flight conveyor, said element being moved from its first to its second position by the delivery of a pin to said station.

10. In a pin-handling machine in combination with a conveyor having flights for forwarding successive pins from the pit, a stationary pin assembling rack having a series of eleven upwardly open pockets for receiving pins in spaced parallel relation, the conveyor dropping pins into the first pocket of the series, a feeding device having pin carrying parts each of which has a path of movement upwardly in a pocket, forwardly, downwardly at the location of the succeeding pocket and back below the first mentioned, means for actuating said feeding device through a single cycle, means in the first pocket of the series for actuation by a pin delivered thereto to effect operation of said actuating means, a pusher arranged to move acros the last ten pockets to discharge the pins therefrom, means for operating the pusher and a control element located in the eleventh pocket normally positioned to render such operating means inefiectual and movable from such position by a pin delivered to said pocket.

11. In a pin-handling mechanism a pin assembling rack having eleven pockets in which pins are cradled in parallel spaced relation, means actuated by the delivery of a pin to the first pocket for lifting any pin occupying a pocket in the series over the further side of the pocket and delivering it to the succeeding pocket, a pusher having front and rear walls between which the pins move during the transfer movement described, means for reciprocating the pusher to sweep its rear wall across the pockets to discharge the pins therefrom and a control element located in the eleventh pocket normally positioned to render such reciprocating means ineffectual and movable from such position by a pin delivered to said pocket.

12. In a pin-handling machine in combination with an assembling rack on which a series of ten pins are accumulated in parallel side by side relation for transfer to a setter frame and hence to the alley, a series of chutes having intake ends presented to the forward side of the rack to receive the several pins, a reciprocating pusher having front and rear walls which in its retracted position oppose the ends of the pins on the rack, the forward Wall when the pusher is advanced movingpast the ends of the chutes and the rear Wall engaging the rear ends of the pins and pushing them into the chutes.

13. In a pin-handling machine the mechanism as defined in claim 5 wherein the feeding device comprises two bars having edges scalloped to correspond in spacing to the pockets and engaging the pins at points toward the opposite ends of the pins.

FRANK W. ANDERSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,557,177 Lorenz et a1. Oct. 13, 1925 1,784,084 Williams Dec. 9, 1930 1,806,274 Williams May 19, 1931 1,896,383 White Feb. 7, 1933 2,341,475 Parra et al. Feb. 8, 1944 2,341,476 Parra et a1 Feb. 8, 1944 2,389,643 Schmidt Nov. 27, 1945 2,518,457 Fretter Aug. 15, 1950 

